dinner

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter T

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Tequila Tacos! Do you follow any of the chef’s on the Food Network? It seems they are always thinking outside the box when it comes to expanding our palates. Take Guy Fieri and his famous hamburgers. Anyone who has had the opportunity to visit Guy’s Burger Joint can see how he very casually broke the mold when it comes to men in the kitchen. Anything Goes! Today’s “nod” of adding silver tequila to ordinary tacos definitely gets the party started! 
TEQUILA TACOS
1 pound lean ground beef

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon cumin powder 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

1/3 cup tequila, silver

8 flour tortillas 

1/4 cup butter, melted 

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 

1 romaine lettuce heart, torn

1 tomato, chopped 

2 green onions, chopped 

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium skillet, brown ground beef until cooked and crumbled. Drain. Stir in garlic powder, cumin powder, sea salt, black pepper, and tequila. Reduce heat to simmer on low until liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally. Set aside. Brush one side of tortillas with melted butter. Spoon about 1/4 cup crumbled meat mixture onto center of unbuttered side. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Fold in half; place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all tortillas are filled and meat is evenly divided between them. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes or until tortilla shells are crisp. Remove from oven and serve with lettuce, tomato, green onions, and cilantro. Spoon salsa over top; add a dollop of Greek yogurt. Garnish with black olive slices. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Quartered Chicken with Oranges! If you are fortunate enough to be the recipient of a Fruit-of-the-Month Club, you will not only have premium fresh fruit delivered to your door, but tucked inside the box is a recipe card with serving suggestions. Thanks go out to the families of Brandi and Jennifer! Today’s special features the Cara Cara Orange, which is a sweet seedless variety with interesting undertones of cherry and blackberry. The delightful taste is less acidic than ordinary oranges. And the pinkish-red flesh reminded me of its distant cousin, the blood orange. My compliments to Harry & David.* 
QUARTERED CHICKEN WITH ORANGES
Ingredients:

2 sections of quartered chicken, leg and thigh portion

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 Cara Cara oranges, quartered 

1/2 onion, chopped in chunks

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence 

2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Place chicken in an iron skillet. Surround it with oranges, onion, and garlic. Rub the chicken well with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves and Herbes de Provence. Tuck two sprigs of thyme in between chicken. Bake one hour until golden and internal temperature is 165°. 
*I receive no recompense for featuring Harry & David Fruit-of-the-Month. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter N

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Neapolitan Tomato Cheese Pizza! Before you roll your eyes, let me explain about Neapolitan pizza. The dough itself is made of four basic ingredients. I like that. The Italian flour makes the dough stretchy and easy to work into shape with your fingers. If you cannot find Italian flour, bread flour is an acceptable substitute. I went on a quest to find it, though. A Neapolitan pizza is made to be eaten with a knife and fork as a personal pan pizza. And it is not precut, simply because the center of the bottom crust is soft and chewy. Trust me, it’s worth every bite. This dough recipe will make six individual servings of thin crust pizza. Bellissimo! 
NEAPOLITAN TOMATO CHEESE PIZZA
Ingredients:

4 cups Italian “00” flour plus extra flour for dusting

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/3 cups water
1/2 tomato sauce

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced rounds

6 basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions:

Combine flour, sea salt, yeast, and water into a Bread Machine. Set to “Dough”. When finished, divide dough into 6 portions, cover each in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 72 hours. Remove 45 minutes prior to preparation for dough to come to room temperature. Transfer one ball of dough to a medium bowl that has a handful of flour in it. Flip to coat. Pat off excess flour and transfer it to a floured surface. Gently stretch dough, with fingertips, into a circle. Pick it up and place it on a sheet of parchment paper. With one hand in the center of the dough round, use the other hand to stretch the edge outward without tearing, rotating as needed. Place the oven rack on its highest setting. You should still be able to place an iron skillet on it. If not, lower the rack. Preheat the Broiler on High. Dust the iron skillet with flour; tap out excess. Heat the empty skillet until it is smoking lightly, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer dough to the skillet. Moving quickly, top the dough with tomato sauce, mozzarella slices, and fresh basil leaves. Sprinkle with kosher salt and drizzle with olive oil. Transfer skillet back to the broiler and cook until pizza is puffed and charred in spots, up to 4 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Serve immediately. For more than one pizza, repeat process. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter K

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Kung Pao Chicken! When I promise savory, I deliver. Combine sweet and sour, garlic and spice, with the crunch of peanuts, to pull off this do-it-yourself version of a Chinese restaurant favorite. By making it at home, you may have it faster than takeout. One bite and you’ll love it, but remember to share. Add a few red chili peppers for a dynamic taste experience, if you dare. 
KUNG PAO CHICKEN 
Ingredients:

2 cups boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons sherry cooking wine

2 tablespoons soybean sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons chili paste

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 green onions, snipped

8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
Instructions for Marinade:

Mix together 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine, 1 tablespoon soybean sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir until smooth. Place chicken chunks in a glass dish. Pour in marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes. 
Instructions for Sauce:

Combine in a glass bowl 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine, 1 tablespoon soybean sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon water. Mix until smooth. Add chili paste, vinegar, honey, brown sugar, and garlic. Stir. Gradually fold in green onions, water chestnuts, and chopped peanuts. Transfer to a medium skillet. Cook on low/medium heat until aromatic, stirring occasionally. 
Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Sauté chicken chunks in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. As the sauce becomes aromatic, add in sautéed chicken chunks. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Serve over noodles or rice. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter F

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Something to Savor: Fig and Pig Flatbread! Make life easy tonight with an amazing twist on this sweet and salty sensation. Everyone loves bacon. I get it. And the fig preserves provide a sweet after taste that mingles with the natural crunch of crispy crust and salty meat. The gooey cheese is like the icing on a cake. With only a few ingredients, preparation is a snap leaving more time for settling in front of the television with a glass of wine and your favorite program. You can thank me later. 
FIG AND PIG FLATBREAD 
Ingredients:

1 prepared flatbread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon corn meal

1/2 cup fig and muscat wine preserves 

4 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 

2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush both sides of flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle corn meal on the bottom side of the flatbread. Place onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick oil. Bake 5 minutes; remove from oven. Spread fig and muscat wine preserves evenly over flatbread, leaving a crust edge. Arrange crumbled bacon as next layer. Scatter mozzarella and feta cheese over top. Bake 10 minutes longer until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve with a side salad. 

Dining Outside the Home: Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai!  Twice the taste, second to none. Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant is a very popular place on Kauai. Perhaps that is why there are two convenient locations on the East Shore. On the main drag of Old Town Kapaa, Mariachi’s is at the center of activity. You can’t miss the brightly colored building. Grab a window seat for people-watching and open air. Pay no attention to the birds that flap their wings. They know how to behave. Before the tortilla chips and tomato salsa disappear, a sizzling platter of crazy fajitas arrives to take its place. No worries. There’s plenty of food to share at a table for two. Bienvenidos!

Dining Outside the Home: Sam’s Ocean View Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Sam’s Ocean View Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai!  Fling open the doors for an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see. Look closely. You may see the water spouts of a humpback whale or two on the horizon. Feel the cool breezes as you bask in the glorious sunshine. Glance around the room. Pay attention to the hanging art inside, which captures a peaceful easy feeling. Now order a meal with a beverage to match. Sam’s Ocean View fits the bill for coastal-living. Today’s special: Seared Ahi Eggs Benedict with a hollandaise sauce; a perfect blend of rich, creamy butter and lemon citrus. Mahalo. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter X

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Xia, Gan Shao which translates to Sweet and Sour Shrimp! I know I’m stretching the alphabet a bit thin with this one, but I am crazy about shrimp! I improvised a little, so I apologize in advance. Hopefully this will become one of your all time favorites. 
XIA, GAN SHAO
Ingredients:

1 pound of jumbo shrimp

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning blend

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice
Instructions:

Put shrimp in a baking dish, single layer. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over shrimp. Marinate 1 hour. Remove shrimp from marinade and place in a nonstick vegetable grilling basket. Discard marinade. Preheat outdoor grill for medium heat. Grill 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque. Do not over-cook! Serve with Asian Sesame dressing infused with Sriracha sauce. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet: Letter W

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Watercress Bacon Dinner Salad! If you like salad, you will find yourself saying, “OMG, I want a second helping!” My husband and I can literally eat this dinner salad until we think we will burst! And then we’ll have one bite more! (P.S. Spring is the best time of year to pick up watercress at the Farmer’s Market.)
Ingredients:

3 Eggs

7 slices Bacon

1 Vidalia Onion, Small

1 cup sliced Mushrooms

10 ounce package Grape Tomatoes

6 ounces Watercress

1 heart of Romaine Lettuce

1 cup seasoned croutons

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

5 Tablespoons Reserved Bacon Grease (*or substitute with olive oil)

3 Tablespoons Garlic Wine Vinegar

2 teaspoons Honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions:

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Remove 5 tablespoons grease and set aside. Use 2 tablespoons of grease in a separate skillet over medium heat. Slice thin the Vidalia onion, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add mushrooms to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside. Cut bacon into pieces. Peel and slice eggs. Mix romaine and watercress in a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and bacon on top. 
Hot Bacon Dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, honey, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.

Pour hot dressing over the salad; toss to combine. Arrange eggs over the top, add croutons, sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese, and Voilà! Dinner is served!